A research on the herd management decision mechanism of livestock business responsibilities

The aim of this study is to examine the herd management decision mechanisms and herd management practices of livestock farm managers engaged in dairy cattle farming in different provinces of Turkey in 2023-2024. For this purpose, contact was made with managers in various provinces of Turkey, and a survey was conducted with 35 managers who voluntarily agreed to participate. The survey questions were divided into three main categories: information about the managers, information about the farm, and information about the farm staff. The participating farms were divided into three different groups based on animal productivity: low (10-20 L/day), medium (20-25 L/day), and high (25 L/day above). The responses to the survey questions were compared using p-values, Pearson correlation, and Pearson chi-square analysis. The questions prepared on herd management for the managers and staff of the participating farms aimed to reveal the impact of herd management practices on farm productivity based on the responses received. The primary objective of this study is to identify whether one of the main reasons for the differences between high-productivity farms and low-productivity farms is that high-productivity farms are managed by knowledgeable managers in herd management. Keywords: Dairy Farming, Herd Management, Productivity, Decision Mechanisms, Management